Relations and associates of Megan Trussell gathered Monday morning in a parking zone simply off Boulder Canyon to honor the 18-year-old College of Colorado Boulder scholar who went lacking on Feb. 9.
Squishmallows, candles, flowers and a Weight loss plan Coke had been positioned within the snow beneath a memorial signal within the lot close to the 40-mile marker of Boulder Canyon Drive, the identical space the place an individual matching Trussell’s description was discovered lifeless Saturday.
The Boulder County Coroner’s Workplace has not confirmed the person discovered was Trussell however in a GoFundMe Trussell’s cousin Rebecca Perez wrote, “With heavy hearts, we share the passing of Megan.”
The Boulder County Sheriff’s Workplace launched a short replace within the case Monday afternoon, stating investigators are nonetheless gathering info and reiterating that the Boulder County Coroner’s Workplace will decide what brought about her loss of life.
When reached by cellphone, sheriff’s workplace spokesperson Vinnie Montez mentioned it’s too quickly to say whether or not foul play is suspected or if the case is being investigated as a murder.
As giant snowflakes fell over the group of about 50 individuals who gathered Monday, Vanessa Diaz and Joe Trussell, Megan’s dad and mom, stood collectively and thanked the group for being there.
“The outpouring of affection and assist has simply been overwhelming,” Joe Trussell mentioned. “We recognize you greater than you already know.”
Regardless of shedding tears, Diaz and different relations had been in a position to make jokes to convey smiles to faces. When a good friend reminded Diaz and Joe Trussell that the group is there for them and can assist them with something they want, Diaz mentioned, “Simply not casseroles. Megan hated casseroles.”
“If Megan was right here, if she’s watching this, then she has a darkly inappropriate joke for the entire thing, as a result of that’s who she is,” Joe Trussell mentioned. “It’s a horrible factor that’s occurred however the easiest way we are able to honor her is to get higher, to seek out out what occurred.”
On Friday, Diaz and Joe Trussell mentioned their daughter was an enormous grunge music fan who performed bass guitar and was appalled when Smashing Pumpkins opened for Inexperienced Day throughout a 2024 live performance slightly than the opposite approach round.
Giselle Perez and Rebecca Perez, mentioned their cousin liked films as nicely and was planning to make a coming-of-age film with their sister Isabella Perez.
Trussell, who was a freshman majoring in movie, can also be remembered by her childhood associates for her love of films. Sophia Lorman, who met Trussell on the swing set in kindergarten and later reconnected together with her after passing her on the CU Boulder campus final yr, mentioned she was the embodiment of Ramona Flowers, a personality from the Scott Pilgrim movie franchise. For Halloween, Trussell dressed up like Ramona Flowers.
Trussell was final seen sporting a handbag like Flowers’ whereas leaving her campus dorm Feb. 9 and campus police started publicizing the seek for her final week after her dad and mom filed a lacking particular person report, in response to reporting from the Each day Digital camera.
“We’ve had many sleepless nights,” Rebecca Perez mentioned. “We simply sit across the desk and speak about Megan and the reminiscences we now have of her. We’ll have spurts of crying however extra so we’ll simply speak about how humorous she was.”
Throughout a speech, Judy Brocato, a household good friend who organized a volunteer search effort final week to seek out Megan Trussell, joked about how it will all the time take Megan perpetually to say goodbye and she or he would all the time be forgetting one thing once they went snowboarding.
“As part of this horrible expertise, we’ve grown as a group and rekindled decades-old friendships,” Brocato mentioned. “God is the final word creator of time and blessed us with 18 memorable years of Megan. I hope folks consider Megan once you say goodbye to at least one one other and cherish the lengthy goodbye.”
Joe Trussell, who described himself as religious, mentioned he’s had indicators that his daughter is in a greater place and is okay.
“The grief will final the remainder of our lives,” Joe Trussell mentioned. “We’re totally different folks now and I perceive that and our lives have utterly modified. If I can use this expertise to assist anyone in any approach, that’s my objective.”
The GoFundMe arrange as a memorial fund for Megan Trussell had gained slightly below $39,000 on Monday afternoon. Initially, the objective was set at $1,000.
“All these reminiscences of Megan, they don’t change,” Joe Trussell mentioned. “These reminiscences don’t change, they’re nonetheless superior, they’re nonetheless humorous, it’s nonetheless Megan; the tragedy is we don’t get to make anymore however the ones we now have are unbelievable.”
Joe Trussell requested that anybody with info relating to his daughter’s loss of life contact the Boulder County Sheriff’s Workplace.
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